Double compartment nesting band package



Nov. 14, 1950 w. E. DENISON DOUBLE COMPARTMENT NESTING BAND PACKAGE Filed Dec. 10, 1947 I INVENTOR. Zjewm Patented Nov. 14, 1950 DOUBLE GOMPARTMENT NESTING BAND PACKAGE William E. Denison, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Tammen and Denison, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 10, 1947, Serial No. 790,791

This invention relates to a double compartment, nesting band package. It is a continuation in part of applicants copending applications, Serial No. 774,013, filed September 15, 1947 and Serial No. 780,120, filed October 16, 1947.

The object of this invention is to provide a package for holding two materials that are to be mixed by the user in separate compartments from the time that the package is first prepared by the manufacturer to the time that the user is, ready to mix. The specific materials with which applicant is dealing are oleomargarine and coloring. The central idea of the invention turns on the use of two nesting bands or rings each of which engage one wall of the wrapper and by being nested form a compartment between the two walls of the wrapper inside the rings or bands.

The two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. The first embodiment is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being perspective views of the package and an enlarged sectional view of two nesting plates. This was the original conception. The second embodiment of the invention is the preferred embodiment and is illustrated in perspective as two nesting, plastic or metal bands in Fig. 3, while Fig. 4 is a sectional view assembled on a container. Fig. 5 shows the rings pressed against the print preparatory to cartoning; and Fig. 6 shows a relationship of the bands to the sealed end of a container that may be adopted.

Continuing to refer to the drawings, numeral l0 identifies a package made of heat-sealable material having a longitudinal seal l2 and end seals l4 and It. The earlier-filed application discloses the method for forming such a package. A print of oleomargarine I8 is shown positioned in the package closer to the left end than to the right end so as to provide usable lengths of top and bottom (and side) walls between the print and the transverse heat seal it.

A pair of complementary nesting plates 20 and 22 are illustrated in Fig. 2. The plate 20 has a flat peripheral surface 24 for engaging the fiat surface of the wrapper, which in this case is vinylite or pliofilm, and a centrally depressed portion 26. This portion 26 is joined to the flat peripheral surface by an integral wall 28 which may have an outwardly directed bead 30. The plate is a stamping made of either metal plastic and it is somewhat costly to form the bead. The lower plate 22 has an upwardly directed wall 32 with a constriction 34 and a fiat peripheral surface 36 engageable with the under side of the flat peripheral surface 24.

12 Claims. (Cl. 99-171) One plate is moved downwardly against the top wall of the package In and the lower plate is moved upwardly against the lower wall and whenthe two plates are nested, they squeeze between themselves two portions of the wall of the package identified by the numerals 38 and 40. Between the two walls 33 and 40 is positioned coloring material 39, and for the method of positioning the coloring material, see the earlier-' filed copending application, Serial No. 774,013, filed September 14, 1947.

The embodiment of the invention that is likely to go into commercial use is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It consists of two nesting-bands or rings 42 and 44. These bands 42 and 44 are brought into engagement with the package to form a compartment for the coloring in the same manner as are the nesting plates. The nesting bands really constitute nothing more than a removal of the flat peripheral surfaces 24 and 36 and the central portions of the plates 20 and 22. It has been found that the engaging walls of the bands 42 and 44 will hold the walls of the container sufiiciently tightly so that the coloring material cannot work into the oleomargarine and conversely, the oleomargarine cannot work into the coloring material. The bands have the advantage that they can be inexpensively made. They lend themselves to the employment of plastics, and as these may be obtained in many colors, very attractive packages are possible. In Fig. 5, applicant has illustrated how the bands package has its ends pressed up together with the brick so that it fits snugly in a standard Western-type carton. Because the wrapper is transparent, the oleomargarine appears in its natural color, namely white, and the employment of green, red, yellow or blue bands not only presents a pleasant contrast, but draws to the housewifes attention the portion of the package which she must first act upon in order to perform the mixing operation.

The bandshave another advantage over the nesting plates in that the coloring can be plainly seen between the transparent walls of the wrapper. This is thought by sales departments to be a distinctive feature.

In order to use, all a housewife need do is unnest the bands. In the case of the plates, there are provided tongues, such as 46 which is in vertical alignment with a similar tongue, not shown on the lower plate 22. A fingernail can be inserted between the tongues to unnest the plates.

The package here shown is made of a strong,

flexible material so that it can be kneaded for assassr mixing purposes, and is completely sealed. However, there are many applications in the packaging field where these nesting bands would be useful on packages which are made of a weaker material but which are sealed so that they can be manipulated or. shaken to mixtwo ingredients. Thus, there are washing compounds formed of washing powder and a bleach powder which should be maintained separate until used by a: consumer and nesting bands could be used to form the separate compartments.

It will be appreciated that the amount of wall on the package that is inside the nesting; bands: can be varied to provide a much greater volume in those cases where the second material has a greater volume. In the casev of .the oleomargarine and coloring, the volume of coloring as compared to the volume of the oleomargarine is" comparatively small,andhence,the coloring compartmentneedprovide very, little volume, asis illustratedlinFig.v 4.-

Ilheperipheral configuration of the nesting.- bands-is notcritical; It is important that they, nest and-that they form betweenv the-insidesurfaces-of thepackage wallsa continuous wall, at least, a-.- continuous wall adjacent that: part of the enclosure whichcontains theother material, in: this instance, the oleomargarine. There: is a strong likelihood that in the commercial pack age, only a portion of theengaging' surfaces of the bands willseparate' the coloring compartment from the'oleomargarine; IntFig. 6,-,the coloring: end.-.of-=the. package-may be shapedlike a tongue. withla-comparatively wide heat-seal indicated by the shaded lines til-and thebands will b s-seated: as shown. The coloringgisat 50 and only those portions 1 of the bandsbetweenthe arrows 1 52 and fifi will actuallyseparate the coloringij material from the: oleomargarine compartment.

The use of these nesting bands is ofgreatrvalue in' the method of making the package This method: as described: in the copending application, comprises the steps of' advancinga web of vinylite horizontally through aseries of workperforming. stations; of depositingon the--'movin'g' web alternate 1 prints of oleomargarine and spot'sof coloring in spaced relationship; of 'wrap ping the two side edgesof theweb over the ole'omargarine print and sealing theedges to each' other to form a tube; oftransversely-sealing'the tub'e betwcen the rear side of aprint and the'spot of coloring; and'of then applying somekind of an external holding means-to the walls of the package between the coloring materia-P and the oleomargarineprint. This last'step is the critical step because applicants-method and themachine that he isdesigningis intended to operate at a speed of sixty packages a minute; Separating each-package into two compartments must; therefore; be fast and sure: Anything thatcan be done to avoid a walking or movingstation' on the packaging lineat this pointis'of great value. It is thought that these bands' offer-great possibilities in the method because they can be" applied almost instantaneously: If registrationof the applying means with the coloring spot" is attained; theband-applying mechanism can function so quickly that it maybe-possible ior it'to work even though-it isstationaryand the. tube of articles is moving. If this" is notpos'e sible, it does seem clear that the band a'pplying; mechanism will have" to move only a' short dis tance with the moving web.

Having thus described my invention,,what' I claim' is:

1. A package for holding separate two materials until received by the user comprising an envelope having flexible walls, a band engaging the outside surface of a portion of one wall, and a nesting band engaging the outside surface of a portion of an opposite wall and frictionally seated inthe first band." so as to-form a compartment between the walls of the package lying within and on the same side of the nesting bands and separate from the compartment formed between the remaining portions of the walls of the envelope.

2. Aisealed package for holding separate two materialsto be mixed by manipulation of the package by the user comprising a sealed envelope having: Walls, a band engaging the outside surface of a portion of one wall, and a nesting ban'd engaging the outside of a portion of an opposite wall and frictionally seated in the first bandss'ooas to'form a-lcompartment betweenithe two package walls confined within and on: the: same side" of the-two bandsand separatecfrom the compartment formed between the remaining portions of the walls of the envelope;

3. A sealed package for holding se-parateitwo kneadaolezmaterials until kneading is performed by: the user comprising a sealed envelope? of sturdy; flexible material having walls, aiban'd' engaging theoutside surface'of a portion of one wall, and anestingband engaging theoutside surface of .a' portion of an'opposite' wall and we: tionally seated in the first band so as to form' acompartment between the package wa1lscon'- finedon the same side of 'and' by the nesting" bands: and separate from the compartment form'ecl' between the remaining portionsof the" walls of the envelope. 7

4 A- package for holding separate two-miX-ible materials until received by the user comprising anenvelope having walls, a charge of 'one' mat'e-- rialin on portion of the envelope, a'band engaging the outside'surf'aceof a Wall of the en-' velope not adjacent to the charge, a nesting band engaging the-outside surface of an opposite wall likewisenot adjacent to thecharge and'fri-ctiom' ally seated'in the firstband, and a charge of a second material positioned between the two-pack age walls lyi'ng'within the enclosure of the nesting bands-and on the same side of the'bands'.

5'. A sealed package for holding oleomarga-rine and coloring separate until kneaded into a homogeneous compound by the user comprising a sealed envelope of sturdy, flexible material, a charge of oleomargarine in one portion of the envelope,- a charge of coloring materialin another portion of the envelope and spaced from the oleomargarine, a band engaging the outsidesur face of a package wall adjacent and-around-the coloring, a nesting band engaging the outsidesurface of'an opposite wall and frictionally seatedin the first band so as to=confinethe coloring in"'a' compartment separate from the oleomargarine.

6. A package for holding separate twoimixible materialsuntil received by the user comprisingnn elongatedenvelope having walls, a charge of one material in one endiof thepackage, a chargeioffa.

material into which the first material doesnot penetrate.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein each band has a central plate integrally formed with its periphery.

8. The package of claim 7 wherein each plate band has a laterally extending tongue at the same point on its periphery to facilitate separation of the plates from each other.

9. The method of forming a multiple compartment container which comprises the steps of positioning in spaced relationship within a single enclosure two materials, and of joining the opposite walls of the enclosure around one material by nesting a band engaging the outside surface of one wall in a band engaging the outside surface of an opposite wall.

10. The method of forming a multiple compartrnent container which comprises the steps of positioning two materials in spaced relationship on a wrapper, of wrapping the edges of the wrapper around the two materials into engagement with each other and sealing them to form a tube with the two materials spaced from each other, of transversely sealing the edges of the wrapper to form a sealed enclosure, and of seating nesting bands respectively over the opposite walls of the wrapper adjacent one of the materials so as to confine that material within walls bounded by the seated bands.

11. The method of forming multiple compartment containers which comprises the steps of moving a web of wrapping material horizontally, of depositing on said web in spaced relationship successive alternate charges of two different materials, of drawing the side edges of the web over the materials and sealing them to each other to form a tube, of transversely sealing and severing the tube between a charge of one material and that charge of the other material which is to be associated with another charge of the first material, and of seating nesting bands in each other over the opposite walls of the wrapper adjacent one of the materials so as to confine that material within walls bounded by the seated bands.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the web is a sturdy, flexible transparent material and wherein the twomaterials packaged are oleomargarine and coloring respectively.

1 WILLIAM E. DENISON.-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,514,379 Fleischer Nov. 4, 1924 1,602,531 Itoh Oct. 12, 1926 1,647,289 Gwinn Nov. 1, 1927 1,814,785 7 Broadwell a July 14, 1931 1,889,882 Woods Dec. 6, 1932 1,983,685 Townsley Dec. 11, 1934 2,245,738 Ifaylor June 1'7, 1941 2,347,640 Peters May 2, 1944 

